Rajgadh trek with Calsoft

It all started on a casual chat with a friend, the inception of trekking. Trekking had already registered its name in activities I used to do. Casual discussion kicked off with a small group in Calsoft. It all got set so quickly that before I could realize I was already trying to sleep to get up early for Rajgadh trek.

Just back from Goa previous weekend I was already in the mood. A group of 18 people looking to have a good time together. Most of them had met each other a day before, the common ground being the enthusiasm. A lot of fresh college grads added to the energy level giving the much required high to get things going. With a light drizzle to welcome us for the trek, we all started heading towards Rajgadh on the NH4 highway. A quick break at McDonalds and we hit the country road off NH4.

Its this moment onwards, things changed for me. I was completely covered with enthusiasm of trekking after a long time, trying to get involved in every possible activity happening around. Trying to know people and get the conversation going. Trying to be chirpy and help get over the initial talking barrier between the new people.

The country side roads, the green fields, the light rain and my car, it all changed the scene in a flash. Wonder this is what I had been wanting for so long. It was a different group, a different ambience and a different mood. A group not so well known allowed me to unwind myself in my own way. Got closer to the nature and started feeling the mist. The fresh morning country side air was refreshing in its own way. The cattle, the early morning villages with smoke coming out of tiny huts, the small waterfalls I started recollecting it all. It was such a common experience some years back and then it made an exit. Before I could realize, I was already thrown in the glory of past. What I could see, hear and feel was the beautiful time already spent. The same childish tweets, the same leg pulling and the same romance with nature. It was all the same. Not letting it go for one moment, I started giving myself up to whatever was happening around. Soon we reached the base and started our trek up in the hill which was half submerged in clouds. It was all mystic, the flow of water along the step farming, chirping birds, gush of wind, the crystal clear water flowing over the washed black rocks and the morning breeze added by the background of playful individuals.

As we started to climb up, I got into the perfect zone. All the treks from the past revisited as game of cards. Each one bringing its own story, each one making me observe and feel what was around. The shackles of mundane life were giving way. I could see more, hear more and feel more. The story of present looked so similar to the story of past. Its all the same but for the transformation from 1st person to 3rd person. Its all the same.

We climbed up in our destined time and were welcomed by a small shack on the top serving hot poha and much needed tea. It was all happening for us. After the quick tea break we started moving towards bale-killa where the tough part started. The patch was well conquered with a lot of hand holding and spirit. The younger ones trying to show how they can handle the tough situation :) doing a lot of times what is really not required. I see that all, After all, isnt that what I used to do. As we conquered the bale-killa, we opened our food stock. Had a sumptuous meal and hurried to a little shelter from the chilly wind. Dhiraj narrated a story from the books about the fort. It was a time well spent at the top.

A little relaxation and we started climbing down. The group got divided into smaller groups. On our way back to the fort from Bale-killa, we lost our way but soon realized it and found our way back to join the remaining gang. There we had a small official intro with each one of us trying to know others.

I was all nostalgic by now and everything that was happening here was like a movie play for me. The foreground of past and background of present were playing joyously together. Having forgotten who I was, was the best feeling of the time. This was the same freshness uncovering the pages in heart. Making me enjoy the rains, making me enjoy the smile, making me enjoy the wood, making me re-live the past.

In this small trek, I might have lost the present but I certainly lived my past. This small writeup is for all of them who made my past and for the ones who know my present.

Tear Drop...

Standing below a clear night sky
when I feel my heart beat
when I feel what i breathe
when I hear sound as it is
when I sense the time that ticks
when I get time to pick.

This is when i dive deep.
I gaze at crystal clear sky to find no one but i.
Peeking through the sky i glimpse the world where i lie.
Abundance of emotions form substance of  life.
Love, hate, likes, dislikes, anger,peace, energy and fatigue form the vibgyor of life.
Night forms end of day.
New gets its simplest form in day.
I get a glimpse of world where there is a place to cry.

The glimpse lives short.
Sky now is covered with cloud.
The more I see through the more it reflects.
The vibgyor is now gone image is still clear.
Night now brings dreadful mirage of peace.
Theres nothing new here.
The melly is for proof..
Hiding out is the only truth.
The world beyond borders the image.
Theres no place to hide, Theres no place to cry.
A tear drop is all I try.

Lose yourself...

Like hiding in mom's lap.
Like meeting an old friend.
Like a log flowing steadily in a calm river.
Like a puppy playing childishly.
Like a sweet smell of wet earth on first rains.
Like a dew drop waving on new born bud.
Like a ray of sun after rains.
Like a first day of school.
Like the first sight of your love.
Like your first kiss.
Like the smile of your love when you first proposed.
Like the sigh of winning a cricket match.
Like closing your eyes and giving yourself to gravity.
Like losing yourself in an overlay of past with background of present.

Like forgetting yourself to live your past.

Reason to smile...

Smile, brings so many expressions out. Some hidden, some spoken, some heard, some unheard, some obvious, some suspicious. Smile, can picture so many things.

Like for any other expression, smile too have its own reasons. A smile can come on sighting an old friend at familiar location, picturing all the memories in a glimpse. A smile can come with a gentle touch of your love in a crowded store, picturing richness of attachment. A smile can come with an eye catching natural beauty rising out of nowhere, picturing the purity of bond. A smile can come with deep breathe sketching perfect satisfaction out of an achievement. A smile can come by a sight of mother pampering her baby, picturing the harmony of two hearts. A smile can come from absolutely nowhere, picturing the oneness of two soles. A smile can come by just being with a friend when you need, saying your presence matters. A smile can come by just being there when somebody needs you saying, I am with you.

And out of lot of reasons, sometimes a smile can come just like that...

Nostalgic Moments- Chapter 1...

This is a first attempt to write a file using this babe, my new ITouch. and its quite a task. i intend to use this moment to portray all that i fantasize at this moment.

its time to wrap up all the assignments i had taken up since last 3 4 months. time to take a step back and align myself to my origin.nostalgic, as i am. its been a real great time here'. faced some of the extreme moments all packaged under name of experience. great learning as they are, they have embossed in heart forever.

spend one of the best moments of life with close buddies here. these are the things which made US a place not to forget. worth to mention in the same context is the love shared by my dears back home. i never in my entire life have felt so special. this is my richest asset and this is the only thing which keeps me moving in life. proud to say that.
also worth mentioning is the group of people with whom i spent maximum time. it cudnt have been possible to stay here but for them. the small excursions we had, the day to day hustles, the laughs we shared, the unified feeling even being so diverse is all engraved deep in heart.
cricket, as i say did find me with all its glory. spent quality time on field which provided the much needed energy recharge.

there were no bounds to exploration here and i did make a decent try to cash on it. theres a lots to do even today but i take a step ahead and head to my origin. place where i belong to.

all in all this marks a logical pause to my experience in US.

1 Hr at Cricket Field

Hi all,

Here is something for u all. Cricket has its own saga wherever it is played, in any form it is played. Here is a small drop in the ocean of experiences with cricket.

I played few games here in CA. Playing cricket, good cricket, after ages I found the lost love again. I played with team of Sunnyvale. I had this match against a team called Caribeans . It was kind of an interesting match since the team had a good history with Sunnyvale. It was a home game for them.

Untill I reached the ground I wasnt sure who I am playing against. But as soon as I entered the field, I saw all caribeans, literally caribeans. All those big built black curly haired people we see in West Indies team. They are intimidating by looks, trust me. I got the point why match was going to be an interesting one. They won the toss and asked us to bat first.

We have one of the most explosive batsmen as our opening pair. One end, hes this JAT from Hariyana who just scored 158 in his last match and 2nd, is a classy scorer. The match started, the opening bowlers started off their fiery spells. 3 sleeps and a short leg to a left handed over the wicket blacky, in ground with only one intention, get blood out of the batsmen. I figured his intentions out in his 1st couple of balls. The sledging was all caribean. Fun to listen to from pavilion, not so healthy on field. 3rd over, JAT is out. 5th over, classy is out. I am the replacement.

To talk little bit about my batting, I always have had problems with short balls. I can still do away with it on pitches we play in India coz ball doesnt rise, its a different ball game here. I was asked to do a job of sheet anchor. Play out this fiery spell and do not let the middle order get exposed to them. Quite a job.

I start to bat with a welcome whistle of red cherry flowing right near my helmet. Obviously called a No Ball but I know it wasnt meant to be an extra. It was meant to threaten me and help me my way to pavilion soon. I still have 3 more balls to play of him. Somehow I managed. One good thing at this level is, people understand the batsman pretty soon. 4 balls were enough for him to figure out I am cramped with short deliveries and have almost nothing to offer but a decent defense. The second bowler was a big guy right hand medium fast. The pace wasnt much but the length was testing length. Every now and then I could hear the threatening whistle of cherry.

After playing through a couple of overs from both the bowlers, I thought I can still settle with leaving the balls and get away with the spell, until they plotted a new way to get me. The big right handed guy started bowling round the wicket into my ribs with a fielder at silly mid on, short leg and leg slip. Rest all were in slips. Just try to imagine this and place urself in batting stance. I know what u felt just now.

1st bowl a fast bouncer, faster than any of his previous deliveries, left alone. 2nd ball, good length leg stump, just held its line and hit straight in my right chest. I was choked for 1 breath. That was quite a blow. It was a really really good delivery and it took me back. But this very blow made me stronger and more determined to play this guy off. Next ball, again a short one, little on leg stump, pulled to square leg for 4. What I had forgotten was he was a regular league player, smart player. 3rd ball, in swinging yorker and trust me this is the fastest ball I have ever played in my entire career, atleast as far as i remember. Straight on boots. Cherry when fresh n hard hurts through all guards. I got a swollen ankle bone. I was down twice in same over. When I write all this, I simply cant describe what I heard as part of sledging.

To my account, I played off the entire spell and did my job but more to mention was after all this I expected to move on and convert the hard work to some good score. All I did is, after coming back from drinks, got out on an average delivery for 14.

Not to save a^%, but this write up is to talk about the extra ordinary session of cricket I experienced. It was thrilling all throughout the 1 hr I played those fiery black guys. Hope to get these scores converted to big innings.

All in all, Cricket Rules..........

The search...

JAANE KYAA DHUNDTA HAI YEH MERA DIL, TUJHKO KYAA CHAHIYE JINDAGI.....
Heard this song long back. Not sure who else has asked this question before, but at this stage of life I certainly do.

Life always rolls on track. Many a times you choose, many a times you dont. As a child I always dreamt of taking center stage. There were many things at hand to do in simple day to day life. There were many unknowns too. Most of the jobs were done by will and not by obligation. I thought I was chosing track. Now, when I see it, I feel, there werent any options then, so an obligation too felt like a choice.

Time has changed. The options are clearer and I see myself stranded in a donkey race. Wonder if everyone out there is moving on his chosen track but just to keep myself moving, apparently, I am forced to roll on some track or the other. Being true to myself I realised it pretty soon that the track isnt the right one. Very much as I would have liked, very much as people would adore but it just aint my track. I probably may not be far too away from the one, but I surely am following a wrong one.

At times like this, when I take out time and peep in my mirror, I get the courage to face truth. Not that I am submerged in plethora of thoughts all winding up to create an unsolvable mystery, I just am curious to know, where is the one I am looking for. The mundane life, which people around, term as part of social life is not something which suites me. The inner voice of mine still says, I am not too different from them but a tinge different, YES. And the curiosity increases there. The belief of doing it right is missing. The faith of doing it is missing.

But interesting fact is, people love me, doing obligations. Well, sorry but the mundane stuff is more like an obligation than anything else. And ironically, I get praised doing something which I dont like to. There is this word FORMALITY, which is pretty close to the meaning of obligation in my dictionary. There are huge stories built in and around this word. There is a huge list of behavioural patterns built around it, following which probably we would forget who we are J. But yes, its the word of the world. Accidently, I do slip on to the track carrying the world with its the word and yes I have a great time there. Wonder, thats what makes human, HUMAN. Animals wont do formailities. You wont expect a Lion asking his fellow why dont u start munching the prey first. He surely would fight to do it first.

So coming back to search, think I need to find the missing block which would make me another one of the world. How would I do that is still a mystery but yes moving ahead this is something which I surely would do. The answer could possibly be CHANGE. There could be a lot of track changes which will keep the variety of life living. The answer could very well be a REDEFINITION. There could be a non mundane way to live life.

No matter where the answer lies, but I shall keep striving to find out the right one for me. Afterall, cant sing the same song for long time...